Waterfields scoops up Merseyside bakery chain

Waterfields has bought Pimblett's 10 shops in the St Helens' area of Merseyside out of administration, after the craft bakery chain went out of business at the beginning of the month.

Around 65 jobs have been saved in the deal, which takes Waterfields' retail estate to 49 shops, but Pimblett's central bakery has been closed, with the loss of 60 jobs. Administrator KPMG said that "tough trading conditions and rising food prices" were to blame for the company's problems.The 10 shops, which are now being supplied by Waterfields' main bakery in Leigh, Lanca-shire, will continue to trade as Pimblett's in the run-up to Christmas, but will be rebranded with Waterfields' fascia in the New Year, said managing director John Waterfield."The extra shops complement our business and are not in direct competition with our other stores in the area," said Waterfield. "Our economies of scale will help to make the stores more successful."
John Pimblett & Sons was founded in 1921 by John and Mary Pimblett and was still a family business, run by third- generation baker John Pimblett, until it ran into trouble. The company was well-known for its pies and celebration cakes.